Device for extracting of the contents of an envelope

ABSTRACT

A device for extracting the contents of an envelope pre-cut on three sides is provided. The device includes at least one bi-directional upper extraction roller, at least one bi-directional lower extraction roller cooperating with the upper extraction roller, and a receptacle for receiving the extracted contents of the pre-cut envelope. A controller causes the upper and lower extraction rollers to unfold the envelope and extract its contents by causing the upper and lower extraction rollers to move forward and rearward in accordance with the following successive steps: (a) the upper and lower extraction rollers move the envelope in a forward direction, the envelope being oriented with its uncut side facing a rearward direction; (b) the lower extraction rollers stop moving and the upper extraction rollers move an upper fold of the envelope in the rearward direction, whereby the upper fold is rounded and opened; (c) the upper and lower extraction rollers move the opened envelope and its contents in the forward direction until the contents are disengaged from the upper and lower extraction rollers, but the opened envelope is still held therebetween; and (d) the upper and lower extraction rollers abruptly cease to move, thereby causing the contents of the envelope to escape and be collected in the receptacle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns letter-openers designed to opencorrespondence on three sides, then to separate the contents from theenvelope. It more precisely concerns a system permitting extraction ofthe contents from the envelope.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The present systems of extraction of correspondence perform theextraction of correspondence by separating the outside of the envelopefrom the contents, the envelope having been previously cut on threesides.

A first method, described for example in Document FR-A-2 706 146,utilizes one or two cylinders depressurized by a vacuum pump. The sidesof the envelope are drawn by said cylinders and the contents are thusextracted with much efficacy. The great defect of this technology is thehigh sound level caused by the passage of air through the aspirationholes.

A second method utilizes the friction of a unit interposed in the pathof the envelope. This friction may be caused by a shoe as in DocumentU.S. Pat. No. 3,739,543 or by a rotating brush, as in Document EP-A459590. In both of these cases, the friction unit is brought into contactwith the envelope by a mechanism.

The purpose of the invention is to propose a particular mechanism forextraction which allows obtaining a compact and unburdensome device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is a device for the extraction of thecontents of an envelope pre-cut on three sides, consisting of a frame, ameans for carrying the pre-cut envelope in order to shift it on a path,a means of friction placed on the path of the envelope for its unfoldingand the extraction of its contents, a means for receiving the emptyenvelopes, a means of receiving the extracted contents, and a means ofcontrol governing the synchronized operation of the preceding means,characterized in that the means of friction consists of abrasive unitsrespectively above and below, forming a space for the movement of theenvelope or its contents by friction and adjusted in order to moveforward or rearward according to the following successive stages:

a) the upper and lower units move an envelope arriving with its uncutside at the back toward the front,

b) the lower units do not move and the upper units move toward the rear,whereby the upper fold of the envelope is rounded and opened,

c) the upper and lower units move the opened envelope and its contentsforward until the contents are disengaged from the movement space, butthe opened envelope is held there,

d) the upper and lower units abruptly stop moving, which allows thecontents to slip out in order to be collected in the means for receptionof contents.

The means for reception of contents are suitably arranged to allowimmediate visual inspection of the contents, which allows the operatorwho is present to make sure that addressee references are well availabletherefrom. He may then start the following stage:

e) the upper and lower units move the empty envelope rearward, towardthe means for reception. In the contrary case, the operator can take theenvelope and attach it to the opened correspondence, or even write inthe addressee references.

In accordance with a very advantageous characteristic of the invention,the abrasive units consist of reciprocal rollers, which permits a verycompact arrangement and an easy control of the rotation of the lower andupper rollers to obtain forward and rearward movement. The means ofcarriage may be comprised of antagonistic rollers.

Thus it is advantageous that a first motor control the rotation of theantagonistic rollers and the lower abrasive rollers to which the formermay be connected by a kinematic chain with pulley and belt, while asecond motor controls the rotation of the upper abrasive rollers. Forthe sake of compactness, it is always advantageous that the deviceinclude upstream means for carrying a higher feed-level of pre-cut fullenvelopes and a lower level of reception of empty envelopes, wherein themeans of carriage are bi-directional. A gauge-head advantageouslydetects the passage of the envelope between the means of carriage andthe means of extraction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics and advantages of the present invention arehighlighted by the description below of an example of an embodimentillustrated in the drawings hereto attached. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a developed sectional view of an extractor according to thepresent invention,

FIG. 2 shows a sectional profile view of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 show inside profile views of FIG. 1depicting each stage of operation of said extractor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The extractor contains a principal structure consisting of Plates 1 and1' and a certain number of struts 2 forming a frame. Inside thisstructure, the carriage zone of the envelopes comprises horizontal plate3, mounted between plates 1 and 1'. The envelope 4 is provided cut onthree sides by a mechanism not forming part of the invention. Thecarriage device comprises the rollers 5 mounted on arbor 6 and rollers 7mounted on arbor 8. The rollers 5 are in contact with rollers 7. Rollers7 are driven by motor 9 end-mounted on arbor 8 supporting rollers 7.

The extraction device comprises the rollers 10 mounted on arbor 11 andthe pairs of rollers 12 mounted on arbor 13. Rollers 10 and 12 form adie; i.e. each roller 10 slightly penetrates into the pair of rollers 12coupled so that an envelope can pass between the said rollers andslightly undulate. The rollers 10 are driven by motor 9 via the pulleyand belt assembly 14, 15 and 16. The pairs of rollers 12 are driven bymotor 17 end-mounted on arbor 13. Plate 18, mounted between plates 1 and1', serves to guide the envelope from the carriage station to theextraction station. Plate 18 supports cell 19 which detects the passingof the envelope to its perpendicular.

The device is equipped with a tray 20 for reception of the emptiedenvelopes and a tray 21 for reception of the extracted letters. Thesetwo trays are mounted between plates 1 and 1'. A means of controlregulates and synchronizes the carriage motors as well as the detectionunits. It consists preferably of a microprocessor.

The various necessary stages for obtaining a cycle of extraction of thecontents of an envelope are shown in Figures numbered from 3 to 10.

In FIG. 3, the device is in starting position. The means of controlcauses motor 9 to rotate clockwise. Rollers 5 and rollers 7 turn inaccordance with the directions shown by arrows 22 and 23. Rollers 10,synchronized by pulleys-belt assembly 14, 15 and 16, turn in accordancewith the direction shown by arrow 24. Loaded envelope 4, previously cuton three sides by a mechanism not forming part of the invention, isdetected by rollers 5 and 7 and glides on plate 3.

FIG. 4 shows the following stage. Transport of the envelope 4 iscontinued. This latter passes in front of cell 19. The control unit thencauses motor 17 to rotate clockwise. Pairs of rollers 12 turn inaccordance with the direction shown by arrow 25. When the envelope 4 iscarried from its passage in front of cell 19, by an appropriate readingthe control unit halts the carriage of the said envelope and stopsmotors 9 and 17.

FIG. 5 shows the following stage. The rotation of motor 17 is reversed.Pairs of rollers 12 then turn in accordance with the direction shown byarrow 26. The upper part 27 of the envelope being in direct contact withrollers 12, a buckle 28 is formed from the hinge 29 of the envelope. Thelower part 30 of the envelope and its contents stay immobile since, dueto the die formed by rollers 12 and 10, it is in contact with therollers 10, which are halted.

FIG. 6 shows the following stage. Pairs of rollers 12 continue theirrotation in accordance with the direction shown by arrow 26; the buckle28 expands until the extremity of upper part 27 is no longer in contactwith the rollers 12.

FIG. 7 shows the following stage. The control unit causes motors 9 and17 to rotate so that rollers 10 and 12 turn in accordance with thedirection shown by arrows 31 and 32.

FIG. 8 shows the final stage. The control unit then abruptly stops therotation of rollers 10 and 12. Only a small portion of the upper part 27of the envelope remains locked in the die formed by rollers 12 and 10.The consequence of this abrupt deceleration is the ejection of thecontents 33 of the envelope toward receiving tray 21. The operatorvisually verifies that the contents of the envelope was well extracted.Two cases are then shown.

FIG. 9 shows the first case. The correspondence extracted does not carrythe addressee references and the operator recovers the envelope andpulls on this latter in order to read the address written on theenvelope.

FIG. 10 shows the second case. The correspondence extracted carries theaddressee references and the operator then launches the envelope 4storage phase. The control unit causes rollers 5, 7, 10 and 12 to movein accordance with the directions shown by arrows 34 and 35. Theunfolded envelope then glides under plate 3 and is stored in receivingtray 20 for empty envelopes.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for extracting the contents of anenvelope pre-cut on three sides comprising:at least one bi-directionalupper extraction roller; at least one bi-directional lower extractionroller cooperating with said upper extraction rollers; a receptacle forreceiving the extracted contents of the envelope; and a controller forcausing said upper and said lower extraction rollers to unfold theenvelope and extract its contents by causing said upper and said lowerextraction rollers to move forward and rearward in accordance with thefollowing successive steps:a) said upper and said lower extractionrollers move the envelope in a forward direction, the envelope beingoriented with its uncut side facing a rearward direction, b) said lowerextraction rollers cease moving and said upper extraction rollers movean upper fold of the envelope in the rearward direction, whereby theupper fold is rounded and opened, c) said upper and said lowerextraction rollers move the opened envelope and its contents in theforward direction until the contents are disengaged from said upper andsaid lower extraction rollers, but the opened envelope is still heldtherebetween, and d) said upper and said lower extraction rollers ceaseto move, thereby causing the contents of the envelope to escape and becollected in said receptacle.
 2. The device for extracting the contentsof an envelope of claim 1 further comprising a set of cooperating driverollers for feeding the envelope to said upper and said lower extractionrollers.
 3. The device for extracting the contents of an envelope ofclaim 2 further comprising a first motor for driving said drive rollersand said lower extraction rollers, and a second motor for driving saidupper extraction rollers.
 4. The device for extracting the contents ofan envelope of claim 2 further comprising a sensor for detecting thepassage of the envelope between said drive rollers and said upper andsaid lower extraction rollers.
 5. The device for extracting the contentsof an envelope of claim 1 further comprising an envelope tray forreceiving the empty envelope and wherein said controller further causessaid upper and said lower extraction rollers to perform the followingstep:e) said upper and said lower extraction rollers move the emptyenvelope in the rearward direction to deposit the envelope in saidenvelope tray.
 6. The device for extracting the contents of an envelopeof claim 1 wherein said receptacle is arranged in order to permit theimmediate visual inspection of the contents.
 7. The device forextracting the contents of an envelope of claim 1 wherein said upper andsaid lower extraction rollers are arranged such that they overlap eachother.
 8. A device for extracting the contents of an envelope pre-cut onthree sides comprising:at least one bi-directional upper extractionroller; at least one bi-directional lower extraction roller cooperatingwith said upper extraction rollers; a set of cooperating drive rollersfor feeding the pre-cut envelope to said upper and said lower extractionrollers; sensor for detecting the passage of the envelope between saiddrive rollers and said upper and said lower extraction rollers; a firstmotor for driving said drive rollers and said lower extraction rollers;a second motor for driving said upper extraction rollers; a receptaclefor receiving the extracted contents of the pre-cut envelope; anenvelope tray for receiving the empty envelope; and a controller forcausing said first and said second motors to drive said upper and saidlower extraction rollers to unfold the envelope and extract its contentsby driving said upper and said lower extraction rollers forward andrearward in accordance with the following successive steps:a) said upperand said lower extraction rollers move the envelope in a forwarddirection, the envelope being oriented with its uncut side facing arearward direction, b) said lower extraction rollers cease moving andsaid upper extraction rollers move an upper fold of the envelope in therearward direction, whereby the upper fold is rounded and opened, c)said upper and said lower extraction rollers move the opened envelopeand its contents in the forward direction until the contents aredisengaged from said upper and said lower extraction rollers, but theopened envelope is still held therebetween, and d) said upper and saidlower extraction rollers cease to move, thereby causing the contents ofthe envelope to escape and be collected in said receptacle, and e) saidupper and said lower extraction rollers move the empty envelope in therearward direction to deposit the envelope in said envelope tray.
 9. Thedevice for extracting the contents of an envelope of claim 8 whereinsaid receptacle is arranged in order to permit the immediate visualinspection of the contents.
 10. The device for extracting the contentsof an envelope of claim 8 wherein said upper and said lower extractionrollers are arranged such that they overlap each other.
 11. A method forextracting the contents of an envelope pre-cut on three sides using adevice comprising at least one bi-directional upper extraction roller,at least one bi-directional lower extraction roller cooperating with theupper extraction rollers, a receptacle for receiving the extractedcontents of the pre-cut envelope, and a controller for causing the upperand lower extraction rollers to unfold the envelope and extract itscontents, the method comprising the steps of:driving the upper and thelower extraction rollers to move the envelope in a forward direction,the envelope being oriented with its uncut side facing a rearwarddirection; stopping the lower extraction rollers and driving the upperextraction rollers to move an upper fold of the envelope in the rearwarddirection, whereby the upper fold is rounded and opened; driving theupper and the lower extraction rollers to move the opened envelope andits contents in the forward direction until the contents are disengagedfrom the upper and the lower extraction rollers, but the opened envelopeis still held therebetween, and abruptly stopping the upper and thelower extraction rollers, thereby causing the contents of the envelopeto escape and be collected in the receptacle.
 12. The method forextracting the contents of an envelope of claim 11 wherein the devicefurther comprises an envelope tray for receiving the empty envelope, andfurther comprising the step of driving the upper and the lowerextraction rollers to move the empty envelope in the rearward directionto deposit the envelope in the envelope tray.